After reading a recent A la Carte story about cooking on a budget, a reader from Winchester called to ask for help in preparing some of the basic foods that she buys with food stamps and receives in free food boxes. Adele McKinney of Nicholasville, who writes a recipe page that Jessamine County distributes with its free food baskets each month, shares these cost-cutting recipes. You can find more of her recipes at www.akentuckycreation.wordpress.com.
Roast beef
Place beef roast (round, chuck, etc.) into slow cooker for 4-6 hours at 250 degrees. You may have to add water. If you don’t have a slow cooker place in the oven in a tightly covered pan (foil) or a casserole with tight fitting lid. Salt and pepper to taste.Can add potatoes, carrots, celery and onions if desired during the last hour. Serve with rolls, salad and/or green vegetable such as green beans.
Beef-n-noodles
Noodles, 1/2 cup per serving
1/2 onion
1 cup mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup red wine or water
1 can beefy mushroom soup
Leftover roast beef from roast (at least 1 cup)
Cook noodles according to package directions. Saute onion and mushrooms in butter until soft and translucent. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add soup and simmer until mixture is hot. Add roast beef and serve over noodles.
Chicken-rice-vegetable soup
1 10 oz. pkg. Green Giant frozen rice medley with peas and mushrooms
1 cup cubed cooked chicken
1 can (1 5 ounces) chicken broth
Cook rice medley as directed on package. in microwave. Remove Rice medley from pouch: place in medium saucepan. Add chicken and broth; cook over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with bread and a fruit salad for complete meal. Makes 2 servings.
Canned vegetable salad
1 can kidney beans
1 can green beans
1 can wax beans
1 can whole kernel corn
2 celery ribs chopped
1 medium green pepper
½ cup chopped red pepper
½ cup ripe olives
½ cup chopped onion
Dressing:
1 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
½ teaspoon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
Drain beans and corn and combine in a large bowl. Add chopped vegetables. Combine dressing ingredients and mix until sugar is dissolved. Pour over vegetable mixture. Stir to coat. (Can substitute Italian dressing.) Refrigerate overnight. Makes 12 to 14 servings. Great side dish for B-B-Q or pork roast.
Ramen noodle chicken broccoli casserole
2 packages chicken-flavored Ramen noodles
1 can cream of mushroom or golden mushroom soup
1/2 can milk
1 1/2 cups cooked chopped chicken
1 1/2 cups cooked broccoli
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook noodles according to package directions, but do not add seasoning packet. Drain the liquid. In a large bowl, combine cooked noodles, seasoning packet, soup, milk, chicken and broccoli. Pour into a greased casserole dish and bake 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Ten minute casserole
1 can water-packed tuna
1 can mixed vegetables, drained
1 can cream of celery soup
Crushed potato chips, Chinese noodles or french fried onions
Mix the first three ingredients together in a casserole or large bowl. Heat in the microwave for about three minutes, and top with potato chips, noodles or onions.
Chicken vegetable packet
1 bone-in chicken breast, skin removed
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 tablespoons diced onion
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Place chicken and vegetables in the center of a large (about 18×13-inch) piece of heavy- duty aluminum foil. Sprinkle with seasonings. Fold foil around mixture and seal tightly. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until meat juices run clear. Open the foil carefully to allow steam to escape. Makes 1 serving.
Sausage and beans
1 pound pork sausage (hot or mild)
1 large chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans stewed tomatoes
2 cups tomato juice
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon. chili powder
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup corn
In a skillet, brown sausage, onion, celery and green pepper. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour. Serve over cooked rice.
Fish for 2
2 (8-ounces each) grouper or halibut fillets
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Paprika
1 green onion, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Place fish fillets in a lightly greased 13-by 9-inch baking pan. Pour melted butter and lemon juice over fish; sprinkle lemon-pepper seasoning and next 4 ingredients evenly over fish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Then broil 3 to 5 minutes or until fish is lightly browned and flakes easily. Garnish with lemon wedges. Makes 2 servings.
Baked chicken and rice
3/4 cup instant rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
3-4 pieces of chicken
1/2 package dried onion soup mix
In a bowl, combine rice and chicken soup and pour into a casserole dish. Top with chicken. Sprinkle onion soup mix over chicken. Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with green vegetable such as green beans or peas, salad and crusty bread.
Ham pudding
1 1/2 cups crushed crackers (Ritz or other buttery crackers)
1 cup grated cheese
1 cup finely chopped ham
2 hard boiled eggs, diced
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 can milk
Butter a 9- by 9-inch pan. Place a layer of crackers, cheese, ham, eggs. Repeat layers. Combine soup with milk and pour over the mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly and hot.
Cottage cheese salad
1 container (16 ounces) cottage cheese
1 box Jello (orange, lime or lemon)
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 can crushed or small chunk pineapple, drained
1 container frozen whipped topping
Save juice from fruit and refrigerate for another use. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and refrigerate for several hours.
Spaghetti with zucchini sauce
8 ounces spaghetti
1/4 cup oil
2 medium zucchini, sliced
3 cups diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Grated Parmesan cheese
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. In a skillet, simmer remaining ingredients for 15 minutes. Pour onto hot spaghetti and top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Slow cooker chicken stroganoff
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
1/8 cup margarine
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
Put chicken, margarine and dressing mix in slow cooker; mix together and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
Add cream cheese and soup, mix together and cook on high for another 1/2 hour or until heated through and warm. Serve over cooked rice or noodles.
Cornbread casserole
1 pound ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup self-rising cornmeal
1 can cream style corn
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup vegetable oil
1cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 large onion, chopped
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
Heat over to 350 degrees. Crumble ground beef into a large skillet and brown. Drain off fat. Stir eggs, cornmeal, corn, buttermilk and oil together until blended. Pour half the batter into a 10 inch cast iron skillet, 10 inch round casserole or pie pan. Top with browned beef. Add cheese, onion and peppers. Pour remaining batter over the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Let stand 5 – 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Makes 6-8 servings.
Five can casserole
3 cans cooked chicken or turkey
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can evaporated milk (6 ounces)
½ onion, chopped
I can Chinese noodles
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except noodles. Fold in ¾ can of noodles. Pour into flat baking dish and top with remaining noodles. Bake at 350 degrees, about 30 minutes.
Breakfast ‘ hotdog’
Place scrambled eggs (can make the night before) in hotdog bun, top with cooked sausage link. Top with grated cheese. Assemble the night before and kids can warm up themselves. Heat in the microwave until warm.
